EVERY WINTER, I have a great deal of fun exaggerating the superior nature of the climate of Lotus Land when - engaged in conversations with visiting ‘poor relations’ and friends from Eastern Canada. If 1 .am in a generous mood, Eastern Canada is the term I use to signify any of those nether regions which lie directly to the east of the Rocky Mountains. My normal definition is anywhere east of Hope. I like to take them on tours through Christmas and the new year. Magnanimously showing them such highlights as the mature palm trees that can be found in certain areas of the West Van- couver waterfront, those protected pockets of roses that bloom throughout the winter, and tulips in flower in mid-January. They need not know the tulips were carefully heeled into the ground just moments before their arrival. If you too have a cousin Ed from Oshawa who is continually espousing the high quality of eastern Canadian culture, restau- rants and life in general, then learn to force spring-flowering bulbs. You start with a clean pot with *: good drainage. 1 prefer the clay or terra-cotta pots as these will tend. to allow the soil to breathe through oa their porous walls. The ‘bulb pot’ was specially designed for this purpose by the Dutch. Its proportions, which are a height that is half its width, make for a_ well-balanced ap- pearance once the flower display has arrived. If you are not happy with the sometimes crusty appearance of the clay pots, you can always place them into a decorative pot at a later date. Just make sure that it too has good drainage or that you never let water build up inside. The potting mix should be on the heavy side; the ‘bulb fibre’ that most pre-planted bulbs come in is used more for the convenience of a lower shipping weight than a good soil, ° Try four parts of fine peat, two parts of washed sand, one part perlite and one tablespoon of bone meal added to each quart of this mixture. Place a thin layer of drainage material over the bottom (coarse charcoal works quite well), and then add sufficient potting mix to raise the top of the bulbs to within * FALL FRAMING ¢ FESTIVAL Needle Work | Custom Framed Y% inch of the rim of the pot. Set the bulbs in so that they are close together but not touching, say one finger-width apart. Barely cover the top of the bulb with a layer of soil and water well. Try to plant one variety per pot or at least those varieties that re- quire the same period of dormancy (see the included schedule of fore- ing times). over the garden gate by Geoff Tobiasson If you want to have some crocus blooming with some ‘prepared’ hyacinths, plant them in separate pots at different times so that you can combine them in one pot just before they bloom. Once they have been planted, they must be placed in a cold en- vironment for at least eight to 10 weeks in order to establish a root system that will support the blooms soon to come. The easiest place to do this is 19 - Friday, October 2, 1987 - North Shore News outdoors. Set the pots in a well- drained location in the ground and cover them with a thin layer of peat. Most professional Dutch bulb forcers will pre-cool the bulbs for several weeks before planting. These ‘prepared’ bulbs will develop a root structure much quicker and are therefore easier to produce commercially. The only prepared bulbs you will see are th: hyacinths; this is because an unprepared hyacinth will just take too long to root and is somewhat unreliable. Amaryllis and Paper Whites are the only bulbs that are not prepared and yet can withstand indoor temperatures while they are rooting; and yet even these per- form better when rooted in the coolest part of the house. After the bulbs have rooted for three quarters of the .time shown on the table below, begin checking for signs of top-growth. Once one to three inches is showing, bring the pots indoors to a cool, bright window. The flowers should emerge three to six weeks after their arrival in- doors. Remember that higher temperatures will shorten the life of the blooming period; a cool (60 degrees or less), bright window is best. The following table will help you in determining the best time to plant the bulbs so as to coincide with Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or the arrival of your brother-in- law from Mississauga. ¢ daffodil 12-16 weeks ® crocus 12-14 weeks © grape hyacinth 18 weeks © prepared hyacinth 10-11 weeks ¢ iris 10-12 weeks * snowdrop 15 weeks * single early tulip 7-10 weeks later tulip 14-16 weeks ‘ 7% OFF Ali Our Regular Prices CGIS. pI North Vancouver 1425 Marine Drive 984-8469 {next to Burger King) ALL STORES OPEN SUNDAY DOWNTOWN KITSILANO KERRISDALE RICHMOND 1168 Robson St. 2857 W. Broadway 37th & West Bud. S311.No 3 Rd OFFER INCLUDES e FRAMES « GLASS ¢ MATS « ASSEMBLY ¢ STRETCHING Offer only applies to complete needlework, frarn- ing applies to metal & Regis top 50 wood 40% OFF ALL LABOUR ON slip covers ¢ reupholstery ° * comforters & bedspreads mouldings only. ° drapes ¢ ICTURES & FRAMES West Vancouver 1432 Marine Drive 922-3513 LATE OPENING FRIDAY LOUGHEED 1OZ SSO! Nomh Rd.